COPS - Companhia Operacional de Segurança

What COPS - Companhia Operacional de Segurança does

COPS - Companhia Operacional de Segurança, Lda. is a Portuguese private security company founded in 2008, headquartered in Almancil with regional delegations in Carnaxide (Lisbon), Vila do Conde (North), and Fundão (Center), plus operations in the Azores islands. The company operates under three licenses (Alvarás 175 A, B, C) issued by the Portuguese Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI), covering human surveillance, personal protection, and alarm monitoring services, supplemented by DGERT training authorization 158. With approximately 1,500 employees, COPS provides integrated physical security services to enterprise, government, healthcare, hospitality, retail, justice, education, events, and residential clients.

The company's service platform is anchored in three core offerings: Vigilância Humana (static and mobile human guarding), Proteção Pessoal (close protection and VIP security), and a 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Central Station (C.R.M.A.) operated from a fortified facility in Lisbon. COPS supplements these human-driven services with technology-enabled offerings including drone surveillance for event security, certified COVID-19 protective equipment (community masks and face shields), and a mobile operations vehicle for major events. The technology stack is operationally focused rather than software-centric, relying on MAI-licensed personnel, alarm signal verification protocols, and physical command infrastructure. The company holds ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environmental), COVID-SAFE (APCER), and DECO PROTESTE SELECT and DECO CONDOMÍNIO+ consumer-endorsed certifications.

COPS generates revenue through recurring service contracts quoted individually based on client scope, location, and contract terms, typically structured as multi-year engagements. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales targeting government and institutional clients (including public procurement wins such as the January 2021 DGAJ international tender) with direct-to-consumer channels for residential and condominium services. Notable customers include the Direção-Geral da Administração da Justiça (DGAJ) for nationwide court security, a 12-hospital healthcare network, and government entities in the Azores. Reported revenue grew from €3 million in 2018 to €9 million in 2019, with approximately €24 million billed cumulatively over the 2020-2021 period.

Name

COPS - Companhia Operacional de Segurança

Legal name

COPS - Companhia Operacional de Segurança, Lda.

Website

https://cops.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

COPS is a Portuguese private security firm founded in 2008 delivering human surveillance, personal protection, and 24/7 alarm monitoring under MAI licenses. With about 1,500 employees, it serves healthcare, government, hospitality, retail, justice, and residential clients across Portugal and the Azores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Security Services

NAICS

Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services (56161), Security Guards and Patrol Services (561612), Security Systems Services (56162)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile Patrol & Alarm Response (BPAKAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Sector Guarding (Government Buildings, Courthouses) (BPAKAAAG), Healthcare Facility Guarding (Hospitals, Clinics) (BPAKAAAH), Retail Patrol & Store Security (Mall/Shopping Center) (BPAKAJAB)

Keywords

• Private security services
• Human surveillance
• Alarm monitoring center
• Personal protection services
• Event security solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Almancil

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Security and Surveillance Services: Core revenue from human vigilance services (Vigilância Humana - Alvará A), personal protection (Proteção Pessoal - Alvará B), and alarm monitoring center management (Central de Alarmes - Alvará C). Services provided under government-issued licenses from Ministério da Administração Interna (MAI). Primarily recurring contract-based revenue from commercial, healthcare, hospitality, education, government, and residential clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

COPS is a Portuguese private security company delivering licensed human surveillance, personal protection, and alarm monitoring services under Alvarás 175 A, B, and C issued by the Ministry of Internal Administration. It serves healthcare, hospitality, retail, government/justice, education, railway, events and residential clients through its own employed personnel, a 24/7 alarm reception center in Lisbon, and drone-enabled event surveillance.

Product overview

COPS offers a unified private security services platform organized around three MAI-licensed divisions (Alvarás 175 A, B, and C): Vigilância Humana (static/mobile human surveillance), Proteção Pessoal (personal security details), and Central de Alarmes (24/7 alarm monitoring and response). The company supplements core human-driven services with technology-enabled offerings including drone surveillance for events and residential alarm systems, serving diverse sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, retail, justice, and transportation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vigilância Humana (Human Surveillance) Licensed static and mobile human surveillance covering access control, prevention of prohibited items, and guarding across sectors including retail, education, justice, healthcare, railways, banking, and hospitality, delivered by MAI-credentialed vigilantes.
• Proteção Pessoal (Personal Protection) Personal security details including personal drivers with security functions, event protection teams, and residential surveillance, performed by MAI-certified professionals selected based on mission requirements.
• Central de Alarmes (Alarm Monitoring Center) 24/7/365 alarm reception and CCTV monitoring from a secure vault facility in Lisbon, verifying each signal received and activating tailored security protocols for rapid response.
• Drone Security Services for Events Drone-based surveillance and crowd movement monitoring for events, enabling immediate incident detection and response, complemented by a mobile command vehicle for major events.
• Certified COVID-19 Protective Equipment Certified community masks and acrylic face shields distributed to COPS security officers as personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of hospital security guards vaccinated against COVID-19
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bombeiros Voluntários da AjudaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021COPS signed cooperation protocol with Volunteer Firefighters of Ajuda for mutual support and coordination in emergency situations.
• APCERcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021APCER (Associação Portuguesa de Certificação) provided COVID-SAFE verification certification and audit services for the company's health and safety practices during the pandemic.
• Bureau VeritascoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Conducted audit for DECO certifications, analyzing and guaranteeing that all services and operating procedures, as well as all standards, comply with DECO requirements.
• ULSG - Unidade Local de Saúde da GuardacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with hospital administration for security services and joint social responsibility initiatives including Christmas food basket distribution to families in need for third consecutive year.
• AGEASminorOthers · 1 January 2020Subscribed health and life insurance policy with AGEAS for all company employees. This measure provided extra social support and aimed to reduce employee healthcare expenses.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ISS A/S: Danish facility services multinational operating in Portugal. Provides integrated security guarding alongside cleaning and facility management, comparable to COPS's broader site security offerings.
• Loomis: Cash-in-transit and security services provider with Iberian footprint. Overlaps with COPS in alarm central operations and physical security services for retail/commercial clients.
• Sodexo: French multinational with Portuguese security and facilities services operations. Comparable in serving healthcare, education and corporate clients with on-site security personnel.
• Prosegur: Spanish multinational security group with significant presence in Iberia (Portugal included). Competes in manned guarding, alarm response and cash-in-transit with global technology platforms.
• G4S / Allied Universal: Largest global security services provider with operations across Iberia. Overlaps with COPS in static guarding, alarm monitoring and large-account public sector contracts.
• Securitas: Swedish multinational and global leader in security services with established Portuguese operations. Direct competitor across human surveillance, alarm monitoring and event security, with broader technology and capital scale than COPS.

Direct peers

• Eulen Seguridad: Spanish security and services group with active operations in Portugal. Closely comparable in service portfolio (vigilancia, protección personal, central de alarmas) and target customer segments.

Others

• Correios de Portugal / CTT: Portuguese national postal service historically involved in secure logistics and related services. Adjacent ecosystem participant relevant to Portugal's regulated security services landscape rather than a direct competitor.
• PSG (Grupo Prosegur): Adjacent ecosystem participant: as Spain's largest security group, it shapes competitive dynamics in Iberia and sets benchmarks for technology investment and M&A that COPS must respond to.

Emerging players

• Control Risks: Specialist in personal protection and corporate security advisory. Overlaps with COPS's Proteção Pessoal (Alvará B) offering for VIP and corporate close-protection assignments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtn-jqwfgtYrMHxwukSoEYw/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/COPSseguranca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/copsseguranca
• Instagraminstagram.com/copsportugal

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about COPS - Companhia Operacional de Segurança